Overview

The Voyageurs Challenge and Moose Lake Challenge share the same course, checkpoints, and ending date.
They have very different starting points. Also, the "official starting dates" can be adjusted to fit
your schedule. However, you should plan to finish on or before the official ending date.

The next Minnesota Voyageurs Challenge and Moose Lake Challenge is
Saturday, September 15, 2018.
There is no equipment inspection for these events. There will be an informal dinner at the
Chocolate Moose before the Minnesotat Kruger Challenge. Dates and times will be announced by
email prior to the events.

These Challenges finishes on Sunday, September 23, 2018.
Refer to the schedule for time/date specifics.

MNVC and MNML cost is $95.00
for the captain and $95.00 for
a crew member if any. It does not include your BWCA permit or any optional outfitter fees for transport,
rental, purchase and such. The group leader and anyone in the same canoe must be a WaterTriber and must pay
the WaterTribe entrance fees. Membership in WaterTribe is optional for all other group members.

Due to permitting requirements, we must be divided up into groups. Each group must have a group leader who is
the permit holder. These permits must be acquired very early in the year before they are taken so it is
recommended to get in early. Registration for ends
Sunday, July 08, 2018 at noon.

Billing starts Friday, June 01, 2018.

The payment deadline for group members is Sunday, July 08, 2018 at noon.

Group members can receive a full refund up to the payment deadline.

Due to the exteme commitment for this challenge late registration and/or late payments will not be allowed. We recommend
that you commit to this race early so you have plenty of time for planning, training, and preparation. Pay early in the
payment cycle. You can receive a full refund up to the payment deadline.

All WaterTribe events are dangerous events as defined by law and common sense. You
are responsible for your own safety. You must read and understand
the WaterTribe
Rules and Warnings
before you register for this event. Although the warnings read
specific to Florida, they all apply to the northern Minnesota environment (except maybe alligators :) and must be
read and understood for this event.

This event is a challenge. It is not a race. Your group will enter at Crane Lake or Moose Lake,
Minnesota and follow the boarder to Grand Portage State Park. We are planning to enter at entry point 12 or 25.
We will exit after the 9-mile Grand Portage. Here is a link to a planning tool that shows entry points, portages,
campsites:
Boundary Waters Map

The MNVC distance is roughly 210 miles. The MNML distance is roughly 125 miles. We follow the Minnesota/Canadian
border for the majority of this challenge. There are several portages and the 9-mile Grand Portage at the end is
frosting on the cake. Be prepared and pack lite. The official time limit is 7 days but if necessary you can still
rack up a finish with an additional 1 or 2 days. Note that the award ceremony is based on the 7-day finish.

Although we mostly follow the Canadian/Minnesota border, you are not required to follow it. For example, the route selected
when I used the PaddlePlanner
from the start to CP1 took me well south of the border through a whole bunch of islands in Lac la Croix. At the bottom of
Lac la Croix it merged back with the border. This is OK as long as you can hit an OK at the virtual checkpoints.

Travel In Canada

The route follows the Minnesota/Canada border. We need to stay on the Minnesota side as much as possible. But sometimes
that isn't possible. Sometimes you will be paddling in Canadian water and sometimes there will be a portage on the
Canadian side.

Recently I was contacted by a non-WaterTriber named Mike who brought up some interesting points about travel in
this area. I passed it on to BeaV to get his input. Here it is.

As BeaV says, "This is a very important transportation route and both countries wanted to maintain
unhindered access along this route. We are allowed to paddle on Canadian waters and portage on Canadian portages
without passports, customs, or Quetico permits. The Key here is "travel". If you or I paddled north into a bay of a
Canadian lake or went to shore for a snack or pee on Canadian ground, or decided to fish on the Canadian side,
we would be subject to all the rules for crossing into a foreign country and their laws as it pertains to their
fishing regulations, licenses, customs, Quetico or other parks permit, etc."

BeaV continues, "Another thing to be aware of is Gunflint Lake area. We will be leaving the BWCA at Magnetic Lake just before
the Gunflint and then reenter the BWCA at South Lake. Technically, per the Wilderness rules, once we leave the
BWCA we would need to have a new Entry Permit to reenter the BWCA. However, the USFS has an unwritten rule that
if we just travel across this area without stopping to camp or stop at the outfitters located on Gunflint Lake,
an Entry Permit is not needed."

I also saw something on a web site but I can't remember exactly which one it was. They mentioned that if you are
forced ashore on the Canadian side due to extreme weather, that you would be OK. Just make sure you get back on
the water as soon as it is safe and don't overdo it. I'm not a lawyer so don't blame me if you end up in jail.

Groups

Groups are limited to 8 or 9 people and four kayaks or canoes. For example, three people in each of three canoes.
Or two people in each of four kayaks. Or four people in each of four kayaks. How you setup your group is up to you
as long as you follow the overall guidelines of max 9 people and and max 4 boats.

Also, note that most campsites work best with two or maybe three tents. This is another factor to consider when
setting up your group.

Each group must have a group leader who will be the permit holder for the group. When registering for this event,
the group leader should register his or her entry first and give the group a Team Name. All other members of the group
can register after that making sure to use the same Team Name.

Special Notes for Group Composition

A group will be comprised of members as follows:

Group Leader: Must be a WaterTriber and must secure his or her own permit. The Group Leader
shall select a Team Name that all members of his or her group will use when they register for this
event. Anyone in the canoe with the Group leader must also be a WaterTriber.

Group Member: Group members don't have to be WaterTribers. However, if one person in a canoe is a
WaterTriber then anyone else in the same canoe must be a WaterTriber. WaterTribers will receive finishing
awards and be listed in the results, record book, and Rogues Gallery. Non WaterTribers will have lots of
fun but won't receive WaterTribe recognition. All transportation costs and costs for the award banquet
will be shared equally by all.

Special Note On Equipment

Since the BWCA is much different than the coastal salt water that all other WaterTribe
events use and since the BWCA rules force us to travel in groups, the Required Equipment list is modified
as follows:

The Group Leader must have a working SPOT and must have a PLB attached to his or her lifejacket. A
VHF radio is optional. Cell phone coverage is mostly non existant, but it is recommended to carry one
just incase.

Other members of the group are not required to have a PLB or SPOT. However, WaterTribe strongly
suggests a PLB or SPOT be attached to the lifejacket of each group member.

All camping equipment may be shared by the group or portion of the group. For example, a group of
8 people might have two tents and one or two camping stoves and so on. Note that most campsites can
fit two or sometimes three tents.

Stuff like dry suits, canoe decks, snake-bite kits, and other stuff more suitable for coastal saltwater
and the Everglades are not required. Instead bear repellent and suitable canoeing equipment and clothing
is suggested and up to the Group Leader.

Remember that you will have a nine-mile portage at the end of this challenge. You want to pack as lite as
possible but still have everything you need. The BWCA has rules about what can be carried and what can't.
Keep all the above points in mind, and regard the WaterTribe Required equipment list as suggested. There are
numerous equipment lists available for canoeing in this region.

The Course

We will enter at Crane Lake (EP 12) or Moose Lake (EP 25). We will finish at the north shore of Lake Superior.
Take a look at the tracking map to see the course - "As the crow flies." This map is not intended for
navigation purposes:
MNVC Tracking Map

This is a difficult course of roughly 210 or 125 miles with several short but difficult portages. There is a 9-mile
portage at the very end. We have allocated 7 days to finish before the award ceremony. If it takes a day to
two longer, you will not be DQed. It might be possible to finish in 4 days if your group is really fast
but don't count on it. And if the wind is out of the east, you will be cursing the whole way.

The course follows the Voyageur route along the Canadian and Minnesota border.

You must enter as a single or double or triple in Class 2. The sails we are used to using in class 1 are not allowed.
You are allowed to use a "makeshift" sail that does not have any mechancal advantage like pulleys and such.
For example, using a paddle or two and a poncho would be OK. Using a PAS, BSD or Flat Earth sail would not be allowed.
And forget boat carts - they will not work and will be extra weight.

Charts

Here is a list of the Voyageur charts that can be used for an overview of the course:
1, 2, 5, 6, 9, and 10. These maps are 1.5 inches per mile which is pretty good. But the sheets
are larger than the McKenzie maps so they are not as convenient for actual navigation in the canoe.

Here is a list of the McKenzie charts that can be used for navigation on the course:
C1, 14, 31, 13, 29, 10, 9, 8, 26, 6, 4, 2, 1, 98. They are listed in order from West to East.
These charts are very high resolution at 2 inches per mile. They have 20 foot contours in the US
and 50 foot contours in Canada. C1 may or may not be necessary. It covers Crane Lake which is an
easy route and can be copied off of a Google Earth page if you want.

You may or may not want to buy both sets of maps. It's up to you.

Many thanks to BeaV for providing this information.

One More Thing

If you haven't done a lot of portaging before, you might want to get a copy of the
Boundary Waters Journal Summer 2015 and read the article on portaging about 20 time
or so. It will help a lot. I wish I had done that before the MNVC2015.

There will be one official meeting prior to the start of the MNKC.
Other meetings can be arranged by the group leaders.

Start

Crane Lake or Moose Lake

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Assemble by Groups:
05:30 to 06:00

Transport from Piragis to launch site:
06:00

Launch on arrival at launch site.

Start for Minnesota Voyageurs Challenge and
Moose Lake Challenge

Note that the group leader can setup different
starting times and arrangements.

VCP1

Birch Lake
Campsite 1281

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Deadline 22:00

CP1 for Minnesota Voyageurs and Moose Lake Challenge
This is a Virtual CP - Send OK Message within 0.1 nm

VCP2

Gunflint Lake
Campsite 2065

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Deadline 22:00

CP2 for Minnesota Voyageurs and Moose Lake Challenge
This is a Virtual CP - Send OK Message within 0.1 nm

VCP3

Grand Portage
Trailhead

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Deadline 22:00

CP3 for Minnesota Voyageurs and Moose Lake Challenge
This is a Virtual CP - Send OK Message within 0.1 nm

Finish

Grand Portage National Monument

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Rough Deadline: 16:00

Award Ceremony: Early Evening

Minnesota Voyageurs and Moose Lake Challenge Finish

Return To Ely

Grand Portage National Monument

Monday, September 24, 2018

Pickup at 10:00

Ride back to Ely.

The start is at Crane Lake, Minnesota.

More info coming soon.

CP1 is at campsite 1281 and is a virtual CP. You must hit your SPOT OK Message.

CP2 at campsite 2065 is a virtual CP. You must hit your SPOT OK Message.

CP3 is at the start of the Grand Portage and is a virtual CP. You must hit your SPOT OK Message. There is
no deadline for this CP we just want to know when you start the portage

Finish - Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota

There is a 9-mile portage at the end of this challenge that finishes at the Grand Portage
National Monument. The following image is an overview. The trail is pretty rugged.

Here is a picture that shows what it will look like when you finish.
BeaV entering the fort.

The award breakfast will be on Sunday at 07:00 AM at the casino. This is followed immediately by the shuttle back to Ely at 10:00.

Note that there are two official finishing points for this challenge due to the absolute pickup time for the shuttle back to Ely. The finish point shown above is what you should be aiming for. If you can get to the fort any time on Saturday, you should do that. But if you can't make it to the fort on Saturday, then you should at least make it to the first intersection of an access road and the Grand Portage trail. This is roughly 3.5 miles into the portage. The race manager will pick you up at that intersection if necessary. You will still get credit for finishing the challenge and you will still get an award paddle, but you won't get the coveted sash.

Important: If you can't get to the first intersection pickup point and you can't get to the fort in time for the shuttle, you will have to find you own way back to Ely. The shuttle is on a very tight schedule and must leave at 10:00 AM on Sunday.

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